The Merchant's Tale
Folio 272r
23 of 30 folios
As to his purpos of no swich mateere
But If that Ianuarie muste it heere
That hadde an hand vp on hire euere mo
860
But natheles by wrytyng too & froo
And piue sygnys wiste he what sche mente
And sche knew ek the fyn of his entente
O Ianuarye what myȝte it the a vayle
Thow myȝtist se as fer as schepis sayle
865
For also good is blynd disseyuyd bee
As to be disseyuyd whan a man may see
Lo Argus which that hadde an hunderede eyen
For al that he coude poure or pryen
Ȝit was he blynd as god wot so been mo
870
That wenyn wisely that it be nat so
Passe ouyr is an ese I seye namoore
This frosche May that I spak of so ȝore
In warm wex hath enpryntit the klyket
That Ianuarye bar of that smale wiket
875
By which in to his gardyn ofte he wente
And Damyan that knew al his entente
The klyket countirfetid piuyly
There nys no more to seye but hastily
Sū wondyr bi this cliket schal by tyde
880
Which ȝe schul here ȝif ȝe wele onbyde
O noble ouyde ful soth is seyd god wot
What sleyȝte is it thow it be longe & hoot
That he nyle it fȳde out in sū manere
By Piramë & Tisbee / may men leere
885
Thow they were kept ful longe streyt ouyral
They been a cordit rounynge thorw a wal
Ther no with koude a foūde swich a slyghte
But now to purpos er thā dayis eyghte
Were passed er the monyth of Iuil be fel
890
That Ianuarie hath cauȝt so greet a wyl
Thour eggyng of his wif hȳ for to pleye
In his gardyn & no wight but thy tweye
That in a morwe vn to this May sente hee
Rys vp myn wyf myn loue myn lady free